Chiang Mai, Thailand

On Tuesday, 29th April, a foreigner armed with a small handgun help up a Family Mart convenience store on the island of Samui, making off with 178,350 baht in total.

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At around 10:30 a.m. a female cashier and her colleague were counting out 200,000 baht in notes in order to deposit the sum into the bank. This is when they noticed a man who appeared to be browsing the aisles in the store.

During this time, he quickly made his way to the counter where he pointed a handgun at the two cashiers and grabbed a pile of money from the notes they had been counting, which later turned out to be 178,350 baht. He then fled the store and got into a Toyota Vios with a number plate that had been obscured by paper.

Police near the scene were alerted by the cashiers that they had been robbed, but the police failed to catch the fleeing suspect. The unknown man has been described as a Caucasian in his 30’s, 175 cm tall, with dark hair.

Together with CCTV footage of the incident and information from the Immigration and Tourist Police, police hope to identify the suspect in the next few weeks.

A British millionaire who was the owner of one well known beer bar in Koh Samui celebrated a Manchester win by drinking with friends. He drank so much and was found dead in the back of his pick-up truck the following day.

Pol.Capt. Anumat Ruenphanit (police on duty of Bor Phood police station, Amphur Koh Samui, Surat Thani Province) was notified that there was a foreign tourist lying dead in a pick-up truck on the car park of Cherng Mon Village hotel, Moo 5 Tambon Bor Phood, Amphur Koh Samui, so he rushed to inspect at scene together with the related officers and the rescuers of Wat Plai Laem Foundation.

At the incident the officers found a 4-door- grey Mitsubishi Triton pick-up truck, red license no. Kor-3216 Surat Thai, with the body of the foreign man in the back, he was identified as Mr Thomas Graham, aged 38, British nationality. There was a strong odour of alcohol and the officers assumed that he had been dead approximately 2-3 hours. There were no traces of foul play and none of his property was missing.

Upon questioning Mr John David Markus, aged 53, British nationality, who is a close friend of the deceased he told police that Mr Thomas is the owner of a beer bar called “Premier Sport Bar” in the entertainment area spot at Ban Bang Rak, Tambon Bor Phood, Amphur Koh Samui. The night of the incident Mr Thomas opened the beer bar to watch a Premier League football match between Manchester United and Norwich City and after Manchester United beat Norwich City 4-0 Mr Thomas was so happy he persuaded all his friends to drink alcohol with him to celebrate until the bar closed, but Mr Thomas and his friends continued drinking sat on the back of the pick-up truck until early morning then they all split up and went home leaving him alone on the pick-up truck.

Mrs Phattharaanong Chanakarn, aged 40, who is the wife of Mr Thomas, said that Mr Thomas didn’t have any congenital disease and he was a big Manchester United supporter. After the beer bar was closed she drove her car back home but Mr Thomas carried on drinking with his friends.

The officers sent the of Mr Thomas for an autopsy at Koh Samui hospital to find the real cause of death.

In the early hours of Tuesday Pattaya Police conducted a search for prostitutes and other suspected criminal elements on Pattaya Beach.

A total of 50 women and Ladyboy’s were detained and taken to Pattaya Police Station where their details were taken and a criminal history search was made to ensure that none of the detainees were currently wanted in connection with a previous crime.

The Pattaya Police Chief ordered the operation as he is concerned that those who loiter on Pattaya Beach in the early hours of the morning may be planning to commit crimes against Tourists or may be involved in prostitution which can tarnish the image of the City, especially as the ASEAN Economic Community, which begins in 2015, will open up Thailand and Pattaya to the rest of the region.

Local government officials are concerned that Pattaya will only be known for its sex industry and crime. (too late!)

In a move which is unlikely to deter those detained from returning to their original activities (really?), each person was fined 100 Baht ($3.08 USD) and sent on their way.

Thai television sensation Woody got the chance to interview the main stars of the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone) but his interview with Hollywood actor, musician, and stand-up comedian Jamie Foxx is by far the most entertaining, and also, relevant – Jamie expresses his love for Chiang Mai and reveals his plans to possibly retire there in the future.

Woody opens the interview with Jamie by teaching him how to say “Sawatdee Krap”, and then telling him Thailand says hello. Jamie responds positively by saying he loves Thailand and they begin discussing Jamie’s previous trip to Chiang Mai for a film project – we assume he means the 2005 film Stealth, which was partially shot in areas of Thailand, mainly Ko Phi Phi.

Jamie said, “When I get through with doing what I’m doing over here, I’m going to Chiang Mai and I’m gonna live forever. I just had a great time, I threw my cellphone away.” When Woody said Jamie must give him a call if he plans to retire to Thailand, Jamie responded by saying, “Yes, yes! I wanna retire there!”

The Ministry of Public Health has asked Thai health offices around the country to strengthen up their preventative measures against the respiratory syndrome coronavirus after a man reportedly died from the fatal illness.

The Ministry has been on high alert after a case was reported in neighbouring Malaysia, where a man had previously travelled to Saudi Arabia where it is believed he picked up the virus. After developing a cold on 4th April, the man stayed ill and eventually died on 13th April.

Thailand is keeping a close eye on all patients in their hospitals, and have warn the public to be cautious and aware of flu-like symptoms. If they feel they have a cold or the flu for more than two days, they are urged to seek professional medical treatment.

So far, no cases of coronavirus, also known as MERS, have been reported in the country.

The highest number of sufferers come from Saudi Arabia, followed by other countries which are: Jordan, Qatar, UAE, Tunisia, Oman, and Kuwait. From there, the disease has spread to Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.

The World Health Organization reports that there have already been 92 confirmed deaths this year.

Suriyan Kanchanasinrong (Provincial Governor of Kanchanaburi), Chatnarong Sirima Naratchasima, (Head of RelieveProtectPublic Hazard Office of Kanchanaburi), and rescue personnel went to the scene of the accident to investigate. They found that a Hino double-decker bus had overturned on the road and TWO dead bodies, identified as Jindakong U-tan (59), and Kanna Chongnarangsin (58). Twenty seriously injured people were later taken to Makarak Hospital.

Preliminary investigations showed that this bus was carrying forty passengers from Bangkok to Wat Wang Khanai Thayikaram for people to make merit during Songkran festival. When the bus, which was moving at very high speeds, passed a dangerous curve it overturned, lost control, and landed up on its side. The police presume the cause of accident is most likely that the driver did not know the route very well and drove at unsafe speeds. The driver was arrested and is awaiting charges.

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Another bus crash took place in Chiang Mai on the same day. Vice Governor of Chiang Mai Chana Pangpiboon received a report that a double-decker bus from Amphur Mae Sariang, Chiang Mai had been travelling to Amphur Hod, Mae Hong Son, when it turned over at the 23 – 24 kilometre marker in Tambon Borluang, Amphur Hod. There were FOUR confirmed deaths at the scene, three of which were females and one which was male, as well as more than ten injured and two seriously injured. These wounded were taken to a nearby hospital. Officials are going to investigate the cause of the accident.

The trade route to the Indian Ocean through the Malacca Strait has the problems of pirates, shipwrecks, haze, sediment and shoals.

Its rate of accidents is twice as high as the Suez Canal and four times higher than the Panama Canal.

An alternative shorter route is to build a canal at Kra Isthmus, Thailand. It will save shipment costs and time as the route is shortened by 1,000 km.

Due to close trade relations between China and ASEAN for years, their bilateral trade rose from $54.8 billion in 2002 to $443.6 billion in 2013. In the same period, mutual investment grew four times to an accumulated total of $100 billion.

The close relations and accumulated wealth due to economic and trade growth make people believe that the construction of Kra Isthmus is affordable now.

China’s huge state-owned LiuGong Machinery Co. Ltd and XCMG, and private Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd have taken the lead to set up a preparations group for the construction of Kra Isthmus Canal.

The 100 km artificial link to the Indian Ocean will benefit not only China and ASEAN, but also Japan and other countries’ world trade.

15 April) Two ‘ladyboys’ have been arrested in Pitsanulok province and forced to apologise to local spirits for exposing their breasts during Songkran reveling.

The image of a group of ladyboys (transgenders) showing their breasts on a pick-up truck in the water fights festival have been widely shared on the internet, attracting many condemning comments on the social network.

Today the police said they have arrested Mr. Chartchai Si-Arwut, 23, and Mr. Warot Theesoongnoen, 21, in connection to the incident. According to the police, Mr. Chartchai and Mr. Warot exposed their breasts to the public as they were riding on their pick-up truck in Mueang district on 13 April.

Both suspects have been charged with indecent exposure and are set to be fined at 5,000 baht ($154 USD) for their offence. However, the police agreed to decrease their fines to 500 baht ($15.40 USD) per person.

Mr. Chartchai and Mr. Warot were also escorted to a shrine where they prayed to local spirits, begging for their forgiveness lest the spirits had been offended by their improper behaviour. (Hopefully, with any kind of luck, the spirits will waive the fines.)

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In addition, the police said they are still trying to locate and arrest a man who was photographed showing his penis to the crowd of Songkran revelers in Pitsanulok province.

CCTV footage collected from Pitsanulok town centre is being studied by the police officers to identify the man.